


The Lights

by orphan_account



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-15 14:58:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The usual nerves and insecurities that Jack had accumulated over meeting Ryan just seemed to fade out, just like the lights above them. Jack was about to speak, and go through with what he'd planned. But with a small tug from Ryan and lips pressing harsh against his own, that answered everything. Even if they missed the lights above them dying out and fading, the light inside of them finally thrived.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lights

Jack had always wanted to see the Northern Lights. Who wouldn’t? It was supposed to be one of the things to see before you die anyway, right? But he couldn’t deny that there was an alternate motive to booking those flights. There was definitely something else riddled inside of him when the opportunity to fly out to the North of Canada came up, and an even bigger instinct to take Ryan with him. Call it a spur of courage or a last minute decision, either way he hadn’t hesitated when he phoned Ryan up that evening after getting the get-go from Burnie. It was a good job Ryan accepted, because he’d already bought the tickets and arranged to stay in a small cabin for their short trip there.

 Each time someone at work asked why it was Ryan going and no one else, he couldn’t find the answer. With a shrug of his shoulders and avoiding eye contact at any costs, it was always the same answer.

   “Just did it by instinct, I guess.”

Of course, it got a few laughs and Jack got poked fun at. But he honestly couldn’t think of any other explanation, and the other he _did_ have was something he’d keep to himself – tightly locked within his head until the time passed him.

It was only until he and Ryan had their final day in office that week that people seemed to catch on as to why Ryan was the one to go. The anticipation and excitement shared between the two was a rare sight at most, and by then people didn’t actually seem to want to pick fun at it. Whether it was the smiles on both their faces, no one pointed it out and, for once, let them have their fun. It would only be until their day back from seeing the Northern Lights that people would ever realise what those smiles meant.

 The flight out to Canada was anxious at best, the pent up excitement from Ryan and the gentle nerves from Jack made the plane feel alive with electricity, even if Jack found himself fidgeting from it all, Ryan was quick to notice.

   “You alright, Jack?”

   “Hmm? I’m fine, why?” he coaxed his eyes up front, dragging them away from the other man and focusing on the in-flight film he really didn’t want to have to watch.

   “You're just fidgeting a lot. You that excited?” Ryan laughed, his eyes trained on Jack and he noticed how the other broken into a grin, causing him to smile a little.

   “How can I not be? Come on, I dragged you all the way out here and you’re not excited either?” Humour laced his voice and Ryan laughed at that, nudging the other with his elbow playfully. Sobering up he fiddled with his headphones for a minute.

   “You know I’m excited to be here, Jack.”

And with that casual statement, he put his headphones back in – a lot more interested in the film than Jack was. For the rest of the flight, he wondered if he was reading into those words too much and the anticipation reached its peak, leaving him with a fluttering in his chest but a smile on his face.

 Getting off of the plane was a shock, to say the least. The sheer drop in temperature left the pair feeling more than overwhelmed and a little bit tired on Ryan's end. Jack grumbled and complained as they attempted to find their suitcases. The airport was hefty with crowds and more than once people tried to grab Jack’s case as it came round, leaving Ryan to chuckle to himself as his own suitcase was clutched in his hand. The irritation of the airport and the shock of the cold was replaced by that pure excitement once again, however, when they finally found their cab driver and took off to the roads. Both Jack and Ryan had never seen so much snow before, and the scenery was something neither would ever forget. Jack wouldn’t lie, either, but he was grateful for how Ryan’s arm pressed against his in a bid to run off the shivers from the cold. The cab driver apparently didn’t know how to use the air con. Not that either would complain.

 The ride was exhausting, Ryan didn’t do well in cars to begin with but with the lack of sleep and the cold air he was almost drifting to sleep before Jack could register it. As they branched off into smaller roads, margined by large trees and a gentle trickle of snow coming down he knew they were getting close. By the time they arrived, Ryan was asleep and Jack did nothing but smile as he paid the driver and thanked him, and then nudged the other back into his senses. Ryan frowned as he was stirred awake and Jack even saw the driver laugh a little.

   “Come on, were here.”

   “Tired.” Ryan grumbled, opening the door up.

   “Yeah, I figured.”

The driver even helped them with their bags as they made their way towards the small cabin, and in less than ten minutes he was gone. As soon as Ryan got inside, he dumped his cases and fell face first onto a sofa, leaving him laughing into the material and not able to see the content smile on Jack’s face.

 The next day should have dragged in every sense of the word. They were both too lagged to go to the small village their cabin was situated around, and with no decent television available and nothing but a phone with bad signal, it really should have been boring. Even Jack, as much as he really did enjoy Ryan’s company, expected the excitement to wear off for a while until that evening. But that fluttering in his chest stayed, and he didn’t think he’d sat and talked to someone so much in a long time. Ryan was exhausted, it was plain to see, but he never let the conversation die, and without people at the office around to embarrass Jack and to drag Ryan off somewhere, it was nice to be able to spend time with each other. Jack’s enthusiasm wore off, however, when the night rolled by.

 Ryan was shuddering as he stood on the porch to the point where Jack wondered if he was putting it on or not, after a while though he realised just how freezing it was on a night. The breeze seemed to seep into his bones and he barely noticed as Ryan’s arm pressed into his own once again, trying to stand as closer together as possible. He was too used to the weather back home and the heating from inside.

 They were both leaning on the fence that bordered the bit of wooden porch at the front of the house. Vaguely, in the distance, they could see a slither of green light. But in a moment, it was gone and Jack felt his stomach drop. He knew they had a few days time left to see the lights, but he didn’t want to run the risk of this moment being ruined. Ryan didn’t seem even a slither worried as the lights faded out, he let out a shuddering breathe and leaned back, still smiling all the same.

   “Come on, tomorrow night we’ll see them. I’m freezing.”

Ryan clutched onto the back of Jack’s jumper and tugged, not removing his hand from there until Jack was inside the house. Jack’s nerves settled then, and he decided that maybe tomorrow would be better. They’d see the lights, he was sure.

 Jack had been wrong. For the next three days the lights were the same, dwindling in the distance and fading before either could see them properly. Each time Jack’s stomach would drop, and each time Ryan would stay the same. Optimistic and uncaring and coaxing Jack back inside with a warm hand at the top of his shoulders. Jack was almost worried that Ryan wasn’t bothered about the trip, the way he still smiled and joked even while he was irritated and down-hearted at missing the lights. The feeling passed when they returned inside, and that comforting chat sparked again almost instantly.

 Two days before they had to leave, they ventured to the area’s small resort to pick up something to eat for that night, and Ryan said he wanted to run some errands. Jack left to shop and Ryan made his way over to a small souvenir store in hopes that someone would be available to give him advice for their final night in Canada.  Luckily enough, he didn’t even have to ask and picked up a leaflet, with suggestions of the best times to see the lights. As he flicked through the small pages, he barely noticed a girl walk up next to him with knowing eyes, trying to flick through some of the items on the rack herself. Ryan jumped as he heard the brunette speak up.

   “They’re supposed to be good ones, tonight.”

Ryan looked up at the girl, confused for a moment, before she smiled a little shyly and clarified.

   “The lights, they’re going to be good ones.”

He smiled then, happiness settling over him and he nodded. “That’s good, they’ve been a little dull these pass few days.”

She nodded understandingly. “Yeah, they’re a bit unpredictable sometimes. But we’ve heard they’re going to be okay tonight. How true that is I don't know though."

Ryan grinned and the girl smiled back. “Brilliant, thank you.” She simply nodded, and walked to the counter to buy some things she’d picked up around the store. When Jack asked where he’d been, Ryan just mumbled something about having a look around, stuffing the leaflet in his back pocket and helping Jack with one of the bags.

   “We trying again for the lights tonight?”

   “If you want to.” Jack wouldn’t have even minded if Ryan had said no, but the man nodded knowingly.

   “We’ll try again about ten, yeah?”

Jack had no complaints.

Nerves seemed to run up out of nowhere the final evening of their stay, and even Ryan seemed a little on tense. It was cold, as usual, but no so bad as the previous nights. Every now and then, the shudders still ran through them but as Ryan sidled up to him, pressing close again Jack, it really didn’t seem so bad. As soon as they cast their eyes upwards, they could tell tonight they’d finally see them. And Jack made a solid decision in his head, that when the lights finally flickered overhead, he’d finally use the time he’d bought here with Ryan as he'd wanted to.

 What started as a flicker of green in the distance moved across the sky, slowly and gently drifting and for once they didn’t fade out. They seemed to burn brighter. The tendrils slowly formed to the point where neither man could identify when they appeared. The green lights changed hues, to a blue tone, and before they knew it the lights were dancing over head, casting an array of beautiful, almost smoke-like patterns to paint the canvas above. Neither spoke, but they both simply smiled, utterly fascinated by just how extraordinary the scene was.

 All of Jack’s plans seemed to have gone out of the window that week. He hadn’t expected to be given the time off Burnie, or for Ryan to accept the invitation. He hadn’t expected to have to wait this long for the lights, but most of all, he didn’t expect to feel Ryan’s arm move and to feel fingers interlace into his own. He jumped a little at first, and stared at Ryan who still insisted on keeping his eyes trained on the sight above. For a while he wondered if it was a joke, but then he remembered there was no one around to laugh. All at once, he noticed the knowing smile on Ryan's face, and realised maybe he hadn’t have been so discrete with his intentions after all. But it seemed they hadn't been rejected.

 The usual nerves and insecurities that Jack had accumulated over meeting Ryan just seemed to fade out, just like the lights above them. Jack was about to speak, and go through with what he'd planned. But with a small tug from Ryan and lips pressing harsh against his own, that answered everything. Even if they missed the lights above them dying out and fading, the light inside of them finally thrived.

**Author's Note:**

> If you would like to reblog or like this fic on tumblr:
> 
> http://teaandotherstuff.tumblr.com/post/47707958783/the-lights


End file.
